Matchmaker Zack
by harry-ron-hermione-fan-101
Summary: Okay, so Cloud had expressively told me he was going to keep a low profile in town.  But I could sense a mutual crush-maybe-more going on here!  I thought I'd give a hand at playing match-maker.    Zack and Tifa's meeting revamped!  CloTi Hint of ZxA


**A/N: More info at the bottom. Zack POV.**

"Are you one of those SOLIDER people who've come to investigate?" Sephiroth and I turned at the sound of the voice, turning to see an attractive, dark haired girl wearing a cowgirl suit watching me with reddish-brown eyes.

I took a few steps towards her, and answered. "Yeah, my name is Zack, and I'm with SOLIDER. First Class mind you, First Class!" I was proud of myself, so I bragged. Sue me.

"Huh," she replied, which was not what I was expecting. I was hoping for something along the lines of her gushing over how brave I was and stuff, but nope. Her hand came to rest on her hip, and her other hand fisted up and she rested her chin on it, the picture of someone pondering something or other.

"What do you mean, 'Huh.'?" I asked, a little put out. I mean, come on, she was sounding like she didn't have a clue as to what first class was.

Her hands came to rest at her sides, and she answered my question with one of her own. "Are there a lot of SOLIDER First Classes?"

"Nope, we're a small, elite group." I pumped a fist. I felt a slight thrill whenever I included myself in the ranks of First Class.

"They only sent two?" The dark haired girl asked, and both of us turned back to look at Sephiroth, still standing where he had been before.

"Yeah, me and Sephiroth." I turned back to look at the girl, feeling a little confused. Why all these questions? We were the ones on the investigation; Sephiroth and I should be asking her stuff. What stuff, I couldn't think of at the moment, but I'm sure it will come to me.

The girl turned away, seeming a little disappointed. "Uh huh…" She took a couple steps away, and I shrugged. Weird girl. But then she turned back, and she had this look in her eyes, and it made me think that she was missing someone. She lifted her hand and opened her mouth, like she was going to say something, paused, then said, "Do you know someone named Cloud? Cloud Strife?"

I blinked, and a surprised smile came to my lips. "I do actually. And come to think of it, he did say he was from Nibelheim." I suddenly remembered a conversation I had had with Cloud not to long ago. It had been about a girl. Tifa Lock-something or other. With brown hair. Could this be her? I didn't miss the way her eyes lit up when I mentioned that I knew Cloud, so I tried asking my own question. "Are you Tifa Lock…?" I trailed off, still not remembering her name.

This time, a surprised smile reached _her_ face. "Yeah," she said a little breathlessly. "Does Cloud talk about…." she trailed off, a light blush coloring her cheeks, and I could figure out that she was about to ask if Cloud asked about her. "Could you…um…pass on a message for me?"

I smirked. Okay, so Cloud had expressively told me he was going to keep a low profile in town. But I could sense a mutual crush-maybe-more going on here! I thought I'd give a hand at playing match-maker.

"No can-do, Tifa," I said, crossing my arms. I felt a little bad for a second, because the light in her eyes seemed to dim, and her shoulders sagged ever so slightly. So I quickly continued on my sentence. "You can tell him yourself."

Tifa's eyes widened and a grin broke out over her face. I smiled back at her, then turned my head left and right, searching for-aha! There he was! The figure leaning against the wall, obviously looking -poor kid- motion sick.

"Hey, Cloud!" I called, and the helmeted head raised to- I'm guessing here, because I couldn't see his face- meet my gaze questioningly. "Come over here for a sec!" I waved a hand in a "You- come hither!" type of motion, and the spiky haired kid pushed off the wall and made his way over to me. About half-way over, he-again, I'm guessing, because I had no idea what was going on under that helmet- caught sight of Tifa and stopped in mid stride.

My fellow country boy made no sign that he was coming any closer. In fact, from what little of his face I could see, it looked like he was going to turn tail and flee into a deep dark hole to hide in until the end of all time.

My tone took on a light, teasing tone as I yelled to him again. "That's an order, solider!" Tifa glanced at me from the corner of her eyes, and there was a small smile one her face, one that seemed almost… like she was happy for him. I'd have to ask about that later.

Cloud finally seemed to take a deep breath and finished making the journey over to were I was. I smiled encouragingly, but Cloud didn't seem to know how to move or talk or anything. So, of course, being the kind man I was, I helped him out.

"Cloud, this young lady would love to see your face," I said, nudging Cloud with an elbow. He still didn't move. I was about to reach over and rip the helmet from his head, but Tifa beat me to the punch.

She reached up and gently, slowly, eased the helmet off of my spikey haired friend's head. I leaned over and took it from her, that way she wouldn't be standing awkwardly with a bulky helmet in her hand. I'm just that nice.

Cloud's head was turned down and away from hers, and his eyes were filled with- oddly enough- shame, if I was identifying it right.

I felt like I should give them some privacy, but at the same moment, I wanted to see how this turned out, so I stepped back a bit, out of their way enough they wouldn't feel too awkward, but close enough to not miss a second of the action.

Tifa caught Cloud's chin in her hand and tilted his face to hers. Cloud's jaw was set and his eyes were still looking anywhere but the brown-red ones of Tifa's. I smiled. I couldn't help it. It was so doggone cute! In a strange way, it made me miss Aerith, but it also reminded me of how much I cared for her. I could see that amount of caring, of… _love_ in Tifa's eyes as she looked at Cloud.

"Hey," she said softly, and Cloud's eyes finally met hers. A sweet, happy smile spread across her face, and Cloud's mouth curled into a slight smile in reply. She brushed her fingers over his cheek bone a few times, then dropped her hands to his shoulders. "I've missed you."

Cloud opened his mouth, closed it, then opened it again. "I've missed you too, Tifa."

Tifa's smile faded a little. "Then why haven't you written back to me?" I almost chuckled. _This _was why Cloud was so reluctant to talk to her. He didn't want to face the wrath of this girl for not writing letters. It kind of reminded me of a child hiding in a closet because they had broken a lamp.

"…I'm sorry," Cloud finally mumbled, and his head drooped down. He was the picture of guilty and ashamed. And I don't know how he pulled it off, but he also managed to throw a hint of I'm-thrilled-to-see-this-girl-again-but-I'm-really-shy-and-have-no-clue what-to-say-to-make-up-for-the-letters-I-didn't-reply-to into his posture.

"I'm not mad," Tifa assured him. "I just…want to know why."

I tilted my head, silently giving her points for logic. It was reasonable to want to know why.

"I…was ashamed." I blinked when I heard Cloud's answer. Ashamed? Of what?

Tifa seemed to be thinking along the same lines. "Of what?" she asked, sounding honestly confused. I leaned forwards a little, eager to hear Cloud's answer. What did that kid have to be ashamed of?

Cloud sighed, then seemed to steel himself and looked right into Tifa's eyes. "I told you I was going to join SOLDIER, and here I am, coming back to town a couple years later, still in a low rank. I thought that… maybe you wouldn't…" Cloud trailed off. I felt a pang. _That's _what he was ashamed of? Did he know how long I had been working on getting First Class?

And I had been wrong. It wasn't because he was afraid of her wrath for not writing letters. He was scared that he wouldn't be as important, as valued to her as he could have been, had he been in SOLIDER.

Tifa's gaze softened. "You thought I wouldn't like you as much," she finished for him, and Cloud gave a single, firm nod.

I felt a grin break over my face when the girl in the cowgirl outfit suddenly threw her arms around the boy in the infantry outfit, and hugged him. Cloud stood still and awkward for a second, as if unsure what to do with himself, then slowly hugged her back.

"You will never get it," she muttered into his shoulder. "You are worth so much to me."

Cloud pulled back from the hug, a doubtful look on his face. "Really?" he asked, and I've gotta say, he sounded quite hopeful.

"Really," Tifa confirmed, and a warm, loving, tender smile broke over Cloud's face. Without any warning, he caught Tifa's face in his hands and pulled her face up to his to meet him in a kiss.

I give my friend a 20 out of 10 for bravery.

Barely a second had passed, and Cloud had already gone beat red, and taken a step back from Tifa, stammering out an apology, once again not meeting her gaze.

Tifa touched her fingers to her lips, then blinked, looking confused. Then a smile broke out on her face, and she grabbed Cloud in another hug, flinging her arms around his neck and pressing her lips against his.

Cloud was much quicker to wrap his arms around her this time, and I smiled. It was kind of like watching a little brother get his first kiss. And I had no doubt in my mind that that's what this was.

I couldn't help it. I laughed, cupped a had to my mouth, and called, "Get a room!"

I give them _both _props for managing to ignore me, and the half of the town that had decided to come out and see who was macking on whos's face in the middle of the street.

**A/N: So this is my first Final Fantasy VII fic, and will most certainly NOT be my last. I haven't played the games, just watched the cut scenes on Youtube, and I've seen Advent Children, so I'm sorry if I got anything wrong ^^ Please please please, I'd love constructive criticism on the writing AND on personality stuff. I can take most stuff, but flames melt me into a puddle of goo.**

**Also, this part, "**Tifa glanced at me from the corner of her eyes, and there was a small smile one her face, one that seemed almost… like she was happy for him. I'd have to ask about that later." **was forgotten to be answered. Whoops. But I was going to have her answer be that she's glad that Cloudy-kins has found a friend.**

**Until next time! Harry-ron-Hermione-fan-101 aka Jo**


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